I never thought, in my wildest dreams that I would interview one of the BIG THREE at this stage of my "blogiwood" career. I have always seen Kabelo Mabalane as one of the THREE "big" stars in Mzansi that I would probably have to go through criminal checks and stuff to get to but I didn't have to beg or even plead to get him, I just did!!
Preparing for the interview was a bit of a challenge because although I was excited about it, there was also the element of "he seems so cold & arrogant, how the hell am I gonna get through him?" but hell, guys, I'm Brown Shuga so fear aside, I got the brother, did my thing with him and now I'm bringing it to you so you can enjoy like I enjoyed chatting to him.
At 30 years of age and with a music career going back 11 years, Kabelo is definitely an icon.
Once a TKZee member, now a solo artist and member of BlackJack, Bouga Luv is now taking another direction as a TV Presenter and South Africa is waiting with bated breath to see whether he will pull it off.
Hosting any awards show is scary business and the SAMA's are like SA's biggest awards so clearly somebody saw something in him for them to give him this? I would be trembling if I were in his shoes but this guy is taking the challege without fear coz he's got God on his side and I think I'm gonna let him tell you about it.
BS: Why are you so serious? I've, been stressing about whether I’ll be able to actually get you to open up.
Bouga: I am serious?
BS: Yeah, It is for this reason that I am very skeptical of you hosting the SAMA's coz you give off this impression that you are cold, with an "ungangiphapheli" type of attitude
Bouga: Well, I guess I just want people to know their place. I mean I can't just be all over you just because we met once and started talking.
I expect people to respect my space. For example, I went to a friend's funeral last week and while I was there, I met this guy, we started talking and we were just sharing about the bible and when it was time to go, he was like " now he won't be able to see me again etc etc" so I felt bad and decided to give him my number thinking he'd use it responsibly?
BS: Big Mistake??
Bouga: Big Mistake! The guy has been calling me everyday since last week!!
BS: Saying what?
Bouga: NOTHING! And that's the worst! He just calls and asks "where are you", "what are you doing" and he makes it so obvious that he's around people and wants them to know he's talking to me coz he goes "Sure Bouga, ok Kabelo neh!"
BS: Ha ha ha ha I love that guy!!!
Bouga: Yeah, so it's not that I'm serious but I respect your space and I expect you to respect mine.
BS: So has your new friend phoned you today??
Bouga: He called me last night and I was at a dinner party and he was just saying nothing really so I tried to ask him nicely "not to call me in the evenings" and again he was like "Sure Kabelo, sharp Bouga!".
BS: Poor guy!
You must be nervous about the SAMA challenge coz hosting is tough even for Comedians. Ellen Degeneres was still criticized for the Oscars. Aren’t you scared?
Bouga: Yeah, you can never make all the people happy all the time and I always say that if you don’t wanna be talked about, criticized or cursed then “DON”T GET INVOLVED!
I'm nervous about it and I'm really excited about it as well coz I've never hosted an event before
BS: Or done presenting at all!
Bouga: Yeah and I didn't even ask for this! This just came out of nowhere and I've had moments where I wanted to pick up the phone and tell them "Noh guys, I think you have the wrong guy" but I'm not one to run away from challenges and I know that God will not bring you to it if he can't put you through it so I'm going to do this!!!
BS: How are you preparing for it?
Bouga: Been reading the script, changing it here and there.
BS: Please just tell whoever else is gonna be presenting awards just go there, do their job and get off the stage coz I don’t know why people create all these uncomfortable moments up there.
Bouga: I think there will be less of that coz even my script is not that hectic. This year they’re trying to cut down on the host saying a long story that ends up boring people coz last year Tumisho would be up there talking about this and that and a presenter still comes after that so they’re really cutting down on all of that and actually my job is not as tough as everybody thinks it’s going to be .
BS: Will you be performing at the event?
Bouga: Yeah.
BS: Alone or with Black Jack?
Bouga: I’m bringing Howza 
with...
BS: Wow! I have such a crush on Howza!!!! (Eish, for a moment there I forgot I was talking to Kabelo but he was cool about this…)
Bouga: Oh oh oh…ok, I’ll tell him.
BS: Not just me but a lotta of my readers too…(Sorry, guys if I go down, I’m taking you with me)
Bouga: Oh yeah, I can imagine! Yeah, I’m planning to take him coz I’m releasing his album later this yeah and Martin’s album is also coming out this year. Martin, from Ghetto Lingo. They’re both releasing their solo albums and I’m also releasing my solo later this year.
BS: Great but where does that leave Black Jack?
Bouga: We’ll do an album next year.
BS: Why a two-year break?
Bouga: Look, Howza is quite eager to do his solo project
BS: Does he sing on his album coz I heard him sing on Backstage the other day and I was like “WOW”
Bouga: Yeah, he can sing and he’s singing on the album. His album is sounding absolutely amazing.
BS: When is it coming out?
Bouga: June and Martin’s out around the same time.
BS: Does Martin do R'nB?
Bouga: No, Afro Pop but like the next level, he's really coming out on a new level. So I wanna bring them on my performance just to show people and I’m hoping when and if I win they’ll go up with me to accept the award.
BS: How important is it for you to win considering gore the last time you were up for a SAMA as a solo artist, Brown Dash messed you up?
Bouga: Y’know, important is such a weird word because I look at my career. I lost that year to Brown Dash but my career has almost tripled since then.
It’s an added bonus but if it doesn’t happen then y’know by God’s grace I’ll always make sure that I always end up adding some kind of element to my career and push it to the right direction in terms of longevity so it’s cool if I win and it’s really cool if I don’t.
BS: Standard Answer
Bouga: But it’s bottom line.
BS: So what do you think of the nominees in general?
Bouga: Eish, that’s just really trying to look deep into things. The way it has come out is the way it’s supposed to come out.
(Eish, there’s the “cold” Kabelo I was talking about…I push on...)
BS: So there isn’t an album that you think is missing?
Bouga: Well, there’s a lot of contributing factors and stuff that the judges take into consideration. It’s not only the music. I really think they look at where the musician is, who they’re up against, it really counts for a lot.
Brown Dash was Brown Dash at that time and he had 3 really good songs on his album
BS: 3 really good songs? Hee!
Bouga: Yeah, the main songs, he had 3 hits on one album and I’m not saying the rest of the album was terrible, he had 3 hits at that moment in time, he was like the new face and really doing well at that time so he really, really deserved to win you know.
Then you find someone like…look at Mandoza at the moment, he’s not nominated but I’m sure his album sold platinum!
BS: And it’s such a great album! But he’s there ko Song of the Year, what do you think of Song of The Year nominees?
Bouga: Well, that category just shows the diversity in the industry and I think the SAMA’s tried to be representative of what’s going on in the country and that’s a very tough job, it’s tough!
BS: Yeah, coz we always criticize!
Bouga: Yeah, we go why wasn’t so and so nominated but you know what, that’s how the cookie crumbles that year and you know 80% of the decisions are probably right and the other 20’s like 50/50 but you gotta just accept it.
BS: Well, I must admit, I don’t really have a lot to complain about with this year’s list. Also some of the so called “Big guns” are not there this time and I think it’s great that there’s a lot of new faces too!
Bouga: Which is good for them and they must use that coz there’s been many years where you get the new guys who fall asleep. They don’t do anything! They get a few nominations but after that you never ever get to hear of them.
BS: What do you think of the goodie bag?
Bouga: Impressive!!!! Do you know what’s in it?
BS: Yeah, I’ve seen the list but some of the things I was like “why is this here?”
Bouga: I think we’re getting a Sony Ericson phone, new phone’s always cool. we're getting the Xbox, that’s cool!
BS: The VIP gym thingy, that you don’t need! And by the way, are you performing topless??
Bouga: (Laughs) Unathi said I must but no, no, no. Why??
BS: Ok, but will you at least be wearing those vests of yours??
Bouga: No, I don’t think so. I actually don’t know what I’m gonna be wearing. I kinda know what I’m gonna be wearing while I’m presenting but not when I’m performing.
BS: And you must please tell Howza to take off his shirt too coz when you guys sing, everybody takes of their shirts except him and we get offended!!
Bouga: (Laughing) Ok, will pass the message.
BS: Are you taking a date to the event?
Bouga: Mmmhh I’ll take a friend of mine to the event. A Guy.
BS: Why a guy?
Bouga: Coz he wants to come. (Yeah no, he really switched me off…)
BS: How’s the EXODUS album doing?
Bouga: We’re about to reach platinum.
BS: How many copies is that?
Bouga: 40 000. That’s the new standard of platinum now it used to be 50 000 copies.
BS: Wow, it’s sad that they had to do that.
Bouga: Yeah, pretty much. My sales, poor poor poor.
BS: Is there somewhere we can go and check album sales online?
Bouga: I think it’s confidential information for the public
BS: Why, it would be interesting for us to know the truth.
Bouga: Maybe look at the Gallo system, that’s what everybody uses to calculate everybody’s sales. But I know even artists aren’t supposed to know. When you’re signed to a record company, you’re not supposed to know but we demand the info…
BS: Oh, that’s weird. I always wonder why artists never know when they get asked during interviews.
Bouga: Yeah, they’re not supposed to know but I don’t know why.
BS: No that sucks. How do you think EXODUS compares to your other albums, honestly??
Bouga: It’s alright.
BS: Ooh Kabelo a re it’s alright, what does that mean?
Bouga: Heh? (Laughs) Emm, I believe I could have had more hits! Umm, I mean I’m getting involved in so many other things, I don’t think I had enough time hence this year I’ve started really early to put together ideas and stuff but I think…..it’s like….
(excuses, excuses, I couldn't help laughing at him, he’s laughing too but continues nevertheless)
Bouga: Umm it’s like…
BS: This is not good at all…
Bouga: What?
BS: This!
Bouga: What?
BS: You doubting your album like this! It’s like you’re telling me, you didn’t do a good job with it.
Bouga: Well, making it, the production and everything, that I’m happy with but record sales, I’m not happy with the record sales.
BS: Ok, forget the record sales, tell me about the content.
Bouga: Oh no, okay well, I love the content.
BS: But how does it compare to your previous albums?
Bouga: Oh content wise? I put in much more in this one than in all my albums put together.
(I let it slide....he continues)
I dealt with more surface stuff in the past where now my faith in Christ comes more across in my music and I’m really proud of that because I’m not a closet Christian.
BS: Definitely not.
Bouga: I’m really like out there and regardless of what people say…
BS: Do people complain about it?
Bouga: I couldn’t really care you know coz some people are like ‘Yeah, I hope he doesn’t preach when he’s hosting the SAMA’s…
BS: Ha ha ha ha really?? That’s funny!!
Bouga: Yeah those are some of the comments…but I’m not ashamed of what I am and it’s come across my music and that makes me really proud.
BS: What if I say we don’t have a problem with you being born again but you should decide whether you’re singing kwaito or gospel?
Bouga: My response to that comment is you can sing gospel until you’re blue in the face and not know Jesus Christ. I really believe I’m called to the circular music industry where I have been given the gift of making popular music which reaches young people. I don’t see God taking me out of that.
Because I need to reach young people and for the longest time Christianity has been perceived as something very rigid and reserved where young people will run away from something like that and there’s so much freedom in Christ. The method that we use to convey the gospel is not necessarily sacred, or holy it’s what you won’t do, don’t compromise the principles and the way of life. So when a young person seems me in my shorts and my vests, singing my kwaito music and being responsible, the most important thing to me is the way I live my life, a young kid needs to see someone very successful, someone very hip, someone very relevant and someone very holy and living a righteous life. That touches young people’s hearts.
I mean, you’re called to the arts, I’m called to the arts and young people these days are falling in love with the arts big time and now if you wanna take them out of that and tell them that they can’t serve God and be in the arts, they’re gonna freak out.
So I’d rather be a fantastic kwaito musician who lives righteously, who follows God’s principles and is holy than be a Gospel artist, which we have plenty of in this country, that doesn’t live the life so it says in 1st Samuel 16: 7 God looks in the heart. He doesn’t look on the outward appearance. I can come to church in my suits, my beautiful wife in her fancy whatever but our hearts aren’t there.
BS: Which church do you go to?
Bouga: Rhema. We can dress up but the main thing is the heart. I can come out and say, I’m a born again Christian, let me sing gospel because ...
BS: But you are singing gospel anyway…
Bouga: It’s my rendition. It’s in my rendition and something that I can identify with.
BS: Would you have been surprised if you had been nominated for Best Gospel?
Bouga: I thought they were actually gonna nominate me. Seriously, just to be funny because people are just stupid like that. I really really thought they were gonna do it but then it’s not an issue for me.
BS: You’ve toned down on the “I’m the best, I’m better whatever whatever", coz you were on that tip for a while. You know you got criticized a whole lot for it.
Bouga: Well, you know what; I always say I never hear Coca Cola talking about Sprite.
BS: No Kabelo you can’t do that! Not like that coz nna I was like “why is Kabelo, doing that on the whole album?” It was actually on the Bouga Luv album where I had the problem. It was a great, great album but man, song after song, you're just telling us how great you are??…
Bouga: Yeah I know, my headspace for that album wasn’t really great. You’re right though, a lotta people have said that, I’ve taken it into consideration
BS: And we can see the difference
Bouga: Yeah, I’ve tried to make a bit of a difference but I still say you’ll never hear BMW talking about Mercedes Benz…
BS: I don’t think that’s a fair comparison coz they are there to advertise themselves..
Bouga: YEAH!!! And no one else…
BS: Ha ha ha ok, you got me there. That didn’t come out quite right.
Bouga: Yeah, they’re advertisings themselves and they’ll definitely tell they’re sheer driving pleasure, they’re the best car, they’ll tell you whatever and I still stand by it. I still say those things and if I’m not gonna believe in myself then the thing is when I hit the stage you gotta see that this guy really buys his story and in buying my story, you buy my story too.
BS: We do buy your story man but s'ka hatella too much (don’t press too hard)
Bouga: But you gotta do it! Geez, the hip hop guys do it all the time!! It’s like poetry and no one ever says anything about them.
BS: Well, that’s just my twisted opinion. (Eish, it was getting heated up so I had to change the topic)
The videos are beautiful!
Bouga: Some…I don’t think they are all.
BS: The two new videos, especially Dubula, which was awesome! The other one (Yekal' uku sms icherri yam) was not too bad either…
Bouga: No…
BS: Well, when I saw it I thought it had elements of and similarities with the first one but the first one..
Bouga: Yeah the first one was much better. We did it very quickly and I was telling my business partner that we could have done a better job.
BS: Will you be shooting another video for this album?
Bouga: Yes I shot one last week and it’s gonna be the last one for this album.
BS: Beyonce shot a video for every single song on her B'Day album. Will we ever get to that level as South Africa?
Bouga: The kinda budgets we’re dealing with don’t allow for it coz they’re just not the same.
BS: Ok but some people don’t even get to shoot a video, how does that work?
Bouga: The thing is music is not so happy go like people think, it’s a business. You can’t justify shooting a video for an artist who can’t at least sell 5 000 units coz then where’s your return on investment?
BS: Oh, so there’s a guide as to how many you should sell before getting a video?
Bouga: Yeah, you need to sell a certain amount of albums before you qualify to get a music video. How do you spend R50 000 without having made R100 000? You have to put yourself in a position where you say, “Ok, I’ve made this much, I can spend this much.”
BS: Obviously that doesn’t apply to you?
Bouga: Umm, people know they’ll make their money back with me. And I’m lucky that I’ve got a track record whereby you can shoot a music video before the songs comes out because you know you’re gonna sell records, you know? And I’m blessed in that regard.
BS: Do you have a website?
Bouga: No, we’re actually setting up a company one now and whatever previous album info on me you’ll find it on my previous record companies sites.
BS: And you don’t see the need to have one?
Bouga: I do. I’m very, and it’s been to my detriment of late, I’m very old fashioned in terms of technology and stuff like that and it’s not good for me AT ALL!!
BS: It shouldn’t be you stressing about it, somebody should be doing it for you!
Bouga: Yeah 100%, the thing is I get called all the time with people wanting to do my website but I just haven’t done it…
BS: What do you think of MYSPACE?
Bouga: I think it’s great but I haven’t been in a position to take that initiative. I’m at fault with that.
(I think I should be Kabelo’s publicist and do all these things for him coz I really feel it shouldn't be his job to stress about it!! Bouga holler @ a sista!!)
BS: You’ve always been criticized for the fact that o nka dipina tsa batho o bo di changer nyana and make them your own (using other artists’ songs).
Bouga: (Laughs) Yeah
BS: And rona we don’t know, we just hear an international song on the radio one day and we’re like, “Ok, who did it first? Kabelo or this guy?” Why do you that??
Bouga: (He’s still laughing) It’s funny coz Jay Z says it in his lyrics, he says, “Bite my music coz most of my music is not mine anyway”. I always say, who can lay claim to stuff and say that’s my music?
In the music world, it’s not even about everybody does it but we get inspired by different things and what do you do when you’re inspired by something and you’re feeling it? Do you just leave it just coz people are gonna say it’s someone else’s?? You make your own version of it and with grace.
BS: And most of the ones that you used (I was so tempted to say stole) became hits!
Bouga: Yes and they become mine. Michael Jackson, everyone, I mean you hear something that you think is cool and think you can make it like this and like that…
I always believe in other people’s ideas, I mean I have great ideas but I always think other people have even greater ideas.
BS: Yeah, it’s always the case.
Bouga: Yeah, I mean why crack your skull when you can use other people’s ideas? Y’know what I’m saying? (Laughing)
BS: And now all theseclimbing Kilimanjaro, running the comrades, whose idea is that??
Bouga: (Laughing) I was actually running a marathon yesterday.
BS: Which one?
Bouga: Umm, you actually have to run to qualify for the comrades
BS: You’re doing that again? With Harmony still?
Bouga: Yeah I’m gonna be wearing their colours but we’re not doing the whole charity thing, I’m actually gonna be raising money for the church’s social programme this time. Raising money through running! You were asking why I’m doing all this stuff…
(Yeah, thanks Kabelo, Ouma Brown Shuga gets distracted, had already forgotten what I asked)
Well, yesterday I was running and I was sore and I think I had run something like 35 km’s so I was like “Konje why am I doing this again? Please remind me?” and my answer is “for the longest time I’ve abused me with drugs, promiscuity, just really losing the plot and abusing the gift God has given me". And once you realize that every single gift is supposed to be used to glorify God then you kinda have a different outlook on life. God is concerned about our financial wellbeing, our spiritual well being, our mental well being so I’m a born again Christian and you gotta see it on every aspect of my life. My financial life, my physical, my spiritual life, you gotta see it, you know?
BS: So your finances are in order?
(Just checking for you interested divas out there?)
Bouga: From this year, they are in order! Before I just used to spend but now I’m like…
BS: Tithing and that’s why they’re in order?
Bouga: Yeah, y’know tithing, giving..
BS: Giving too? What’s the procedure if I wanna be on the receiving end?
(Eish, a girl’s gotta hustle phela I need money to buy an outfit for the SAMA’s peoples)
Bouga: (Laughs) You need to be at the right place at the right time maybe you’ll just get lucky.
You know I’ve been in the music industry for 11 years and after 10 years I’m like “No, man I gotta get involved with other stuff”. And this whole comrades, Kilimanjaro thing is just opening so many things
BS: I hear you, coz otherwise it’s gonna be the same thing, year after year.
Bouga: Mhh. So when you come back from running and you go into the studio then your mind is like “WOW” Your life is full, there’s Kilimanjaro, bible school, there are so many different people.
BS: I’m really amazed at the bible school thing. For 3 years you've been attending classes, Monday to Friday 6-9 pm??
Bouga: (Laughs) Yeah!
BS: Wow!! Is it so that you can become a pastor?
Bouga: No, I'm doing it for me. Becoming a pastor is a calling, you get called to do that.
That's the first instalment of my chat with Bouga 2 Shoes, be sure to check out his hott hott hott second chapter coming up next coz then Bouga chats about :
- Talking to the media about his "sex life" or not talking about it
- Sista's that are just throwing themselves at him (eish mara gals??? You embarass me maan!) and why he doesn't get tempted
- Why he went back to the Boy band setup
- His troubles with the taxman and I also check in to find out what he and Paris Hilton have in common!
It's all coming up next but before that, holler @ yo gal!!!